Uncatalogued  Pamphlet       M2872 
Location=Cabinet 

Penrose,  Wesley  Francis 

The  Immortal  Lincoln  and  the 
Masterpiece 


LINCOLN  ROOM 

UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS 
LIBRARY 


MEMORIAL 

the  Class  of  1901 

founded  by 

HARLAN  HOYT  HORNER 

and 

HENRIETTA  CALHOUN  HORNER 


(A^- 


The  Immortal 
LINCOLN 

And   the 

Masterpiece 

By 

Wesley     Francis     Penrose 

iiiiiiiiniitiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii 


nil-'U' 


THE    IMMORTAL 

LINCOLN 


AND  THE 


mimmmh  masterpiece 


BY    WESLEY    FRANCIS    PENROSE 


THE  STUDY. 

The   master  forehead. 

The  wonderful  talking,  dreamy  eyes. 

That   wonderful   right   s'de    of   the  face — 

too   deep    to   be    fathomed. 
The     powerful     mouth-expression,     with     the 

irregular     lower     lip — which     meant     so 

much. 
The   chin — the  pillar  of  support; 
And  the  titanic  human  frame,   governed  by  a 
master   mind — invincible. 

THE   PICTURE   ON   MY  WALL. 

I    love    that    dear    old    picture 

Hanging  on   my  wall! 
Amid  the  show  of  others 

It's   the   fairest   to   recall. 
I   would   not  boast  of  beauty;  — 

For    that's    a    minor   part — 
But  the  spirit  of  that  picture 

Strikes  a  chord  within   my  heart. 

I  often  look  upon  that  face 

To  feel   its   magic  spell. 
And    to   read   the   hidden   story 

That   the   lips    can   never   tell: 
To    gaze    into    those    dreamy    eyes 

So   full   of  human   love; 
And  in  fancy   I   can  hear 

A   gentle   murmur  from   above. 

I    know    'tis   but   a   fancy — 

A   dream    then    all   is   gone; 
And   could   I  but  select  my  fate 

I'd  ask  to  slumber  on. 
For  a  spirit  seems  to  whisper, 

And   I   long   to   hear   it  tell 
The  story  of  our  hero, 

Whom   the  people   loved   so   well. 

As  worldly  duties  call   me 

I    must  leave   this   pleasant  place, 

Where  spirits  seem  to  wander 
And   display    their    magic    grace. 


But  I'll  not  forget  that  picture — 
The   fairest  of  them   all — 

That  dear,  old,  cherished  picture 
Hanging   on    my   wall. 


Kind  folks  you  may  be  wondering 

What    brings    this    magic    spell: 
'Tis  but  a  simple  picture — 

[The   one   I    love   so   well]. 
So  join   me  in  a  song  of  praise; 

And  sing  it  o'er  again; 
For    the    picture's   one   of    Lincoln- 

The   man   who   died  for   men. 


****The  world  will  little  note  nor  long 
remember  what  we  say  here,  but  it  can 
never  forget  what  they  did  here.  ****That 
we  here  highly  resolve  that  these  dead  shall 
not  have  died  in  vain. — A.   Lincoln. 

OUR    COUNTRY'S    PRIDE— 
THE    OLD    SOLDIER 
(For    Decoration   Day) 

For    the    sake    of   the    living    Soldiers — 
And   the   heroes   beneath   the   sod — 

Let   us    join    in    commemoration 
Of  the  path  their  feet  have  trod. 

Unfurl  the  Old  Banner  of  freedom 

And    greet   them   with    music    and   song. 

Bring  cheer,   then,   to  the  Old  Soldiers — 
As   they   go   marching  on. 

This  day  was  not  meant  for  industry. 
Nor   to   advertise   something   to   sell 

But   for   the   Old-time   Heroes 
Who   faced   the   shot   and   shell. 

Our  nation  called   for  soldiers: — 

They  bore  the  battle's  brunt; 
They   faced   the   cannon   and    musket; 

So!  Give  them  their  place  in  front! 


To   whom    it   may   concern   and   interest: — 

This  is  to  certify  that  on  Monday,  December  14,  IQl"),  I  called  upon  Mr.  Albert  W. 
Boggs  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  information  concerning  Abraham  Lincoln;  the  recollec 
tions  of  Mr.   Boggs,   to   the  best  of  his   knowledge   and  ability. 

Mr.  Boggs  was  very  conservative  in  his  statements;  calling  my  attention  to  the  fact  that 
he  intended-  to  deliver  to  me  the  conditions  as  connected  with  his  experience,  only,  and  did 
not  wish  to  be  held  responsible  for  other  statements  received  from  other  sources. 

The   original   copy,   with   Mr.   Boggs'    signature   attached,    is  on   file. 

WESLEY   F.    PENROSE. 


■■•uiiiiiitiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii  . 


The  following  statements  were  made  by  Mr.  Boggs: 

"My  name  is  Albert  W.  Boggs.  I  was  born  in  Cadiz,  Ohio,  December 
22,   1342.      I  am  eighty-three  years  old. 

I  was  a  salesman  before  I  v,/ent  to  war. 

I  enlisted  at  Columbus,  Ohio,  in  1862,  in  the  Signal  Corps. 

We  were  taken  in  smoking  cars  to  Washington  City. 

A  snow  storm  came  on.  We  walked  through  Washington  City,  in  the 
storm,  to  the  Signal  Corps  Camp  of  Instruction. 

While  stationed  at  the  camp  I  was  taken  to  the  White  House  by  Mr. 
Edwin  M.  Stanton,  [This  name  appears  in  history — Auth.]  and  introduced 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lincoln  and  the  two  boys. 

I  met  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lincoln  many  tim'^s  while  in  the  camp  of  instruction. 

On  one  occasion,  while  visiting  the  White  House,  Mrs.  Lincoln  had  a 
boquet  of  roses  prepared  and  presented  them  to  me. 

I  gave  the  boquet   (later)    to  a  lady  friend  in  Washington. 

While  in  the  camp  of  instruction  I  was  undergoing  training  with  the  flag 
by  day,  and  a  torch  by  night.  , 

After  being  in  camp  for  ninety  days  we  were  organized  and  sent  to 
Knoxville,  Tenn.* 

To  make  a  long  story  short;  I  was  in  all  the  engagements  in  Tennessee, 
Alabama,  Mississippi  and  Georgia. 

Until  after  Atlanta  was  captured.  General  Sherman  ordered  all  the  depots, 
warehouses  and  public  buildings  destroyed  by  fire.  He  then  started  with 
his  branch  of  the  Army  for  Savannah,  Georgia.  I  was  then  transferred  to 
the  23rd  Army  Corps. 

The  last  two  battles  we  had  while  I  was  with  the  23rd  Army  Corps  were 
at  Nashville  and  Franklin,  Tennessee.  The  battle  of  the  23rd  Army  Corps 
at  Franklin   (to  me)  was  equal  to  the  battle  of  Gettysburg. 

The  fortifications  were  in  the  shape  of  a  horseshoe.  The  Confederate 
Army  charged  in  the  center  of  the  horseshoe,  and  were  mowed  down  like 
grass. 

After  the  two  battles  I  have  mentioned,  the  23rd  Corps  was  ordered  East; 
to  New  York,  Philadelphia,  and  to  Baltimore. 

I  left  Baltimore  on  the  Miantinoma  for  Fort  Fisher,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Cape  Fear  River.      We  went  up  the  river  to  Wilmington,  N.  C. 

We  then  took  our  horses  off  the  boat,  mounted  and  started  North  after 
the  Confederate  Army;  and  while  near  Raleigh,  N.  C.  I  was  badly  wounded 
by  a  shell  which  exploded  in  the  air;  part  of  the  shell  striking  me  on  the 
right  side  of  the  head,  throwing  me  off  my  horse.  After  being  patched  up  I 
was  taken  back  to  Washington  City  by  Thomas  M.  Vincent,  Asst.  Agt. 
Gen.  of  the  Army. 

vl:  *  *  *  :!< 

After  the  treaty  between  Mr.  Lincoln  and  General  Hood  (the  diplomats) 
I  went  back  to  Washington  and  was  given  a  position  as  special  messenger  to 
take  care  of  all  mail  that  arrived  after  Adjournment  of  Congress.  I  took 
this  mail  each  morning  to  the  homes  of  the  Congressm'^n,  where  I  met  most 
of  the  Congressmf-n  of  those  dnvs;  among  them  William  McKinley,  of 
Canton,  Ohio;   and  James  A.   Garfield. 

It  seems  strange,  know-'r-'  T,'nrri1n.  McKinley  and  Garfield,  as  I  did,  that 
the  three  were  assass'nated;  and  the  three  were  Presidents. 
*      *      *      *      * 

On  April  14,  1865,  Mr.  Vincent  had  tickets  to  attend  the  play  at  Ford's 
Theatre,  and  he  invited  me  as  his  guest;  and  Mr.  Lincoln  was  shot  while  I 
was  there.  I  afterwards  viewed  the  remains  in  the  Rotunda  of  the  Capitol 
where  his  body  was  lying  in  state. 

Thp  body  was  held  three  days  and  three  nights,  guarded  by  United 
States  Soldiers. 

mill iniiiiiiiii ■■iiiiiiiiii niiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnniinniH"H""»""""""""'™"""""""""""" '"" 

Copyright    1925,   by   Wesley   Francis   Penrose,   Chica-jo,    111. 


■  ■■IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIillMIIIIIIIII ■■•■■■•■•■■•■••■■■■••■■■■■■•■•■■•■■■■■■■■IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIBIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 

While  attending  the  trial  of  the  conspirators  who  aided  Booth,  it  was 
shown  that  the  plot  was  "concocted"  at  the  home  of  Mrs.  Surratt,  who 
seemed  to  be  associated  with  the  conspirators,  and  she  was  hanged  with 
three  of  the  worst  of  the  seven  men,  all  four  of  them  dropping  into  eternity 
at  once.      I  was  present  at  the  time. 

I  think  it  was  in  July;  I  cannot  say  positively.^ 

After  they  were  pronounced  dead,  and  cut  down,  and  taken  away,  we 
went  into  the  mihtary  prison,  where  the  trial  was  held.  The:  other  four 
conspirators  were  ordered  to  stand  up  and  receive  their  sentence  of  life 
imprisonment  in  the  Dry  Tarugas,  the  Government  Exile  Prison  about 
seventy  miles  from  the  western  coast  of  Florida,  and  about  the  same  distance 
from  Havana,  Cuba. 

It  was  said  that  J.  Wilkes  Booth  was  shot  by  Sergeant  Boston  Corbett  of 
the  New  York  State  Regiment.  His  body  (it  was  also  said)  was  buried 
in  the  old  prison  under  a  stone  slab. 

I  have  also  heard  it  said  that  Andrew  Johnson  gave  his  brother,  Edwin 
Booth,  permission  to  take  the  body  up  and  bury  it  in  the  cemetery,  in 
Baltimore,  alongside  of  his  mother. f" 

(Signed)      Sergt.  Albert  W.   Boggs. 


I  hereby  grant  permission  to  Dr.  W.  F.  Penrose  to  publish  my  statements 
as  he  sees  fit;  having  granted  the  interview,  December  14,   1925. 

(Signed)      Sergt.   Albert  W.   Boggs. 


AUTHOR'S  NOTE:  The  most  satisfactory  part  of  this  article  is  that  the  relator  is 
still   living  and   prepared  for   verification. 

At  this  time  the  writer  is  still  living  - — [or  thinks  he  is] — and  if  there  is  any  doubt  as 
to  the  genuineness  of  his  articles,  will  appreciate  being  proven  a  "liar"  in  order  to  protect 
the  public  from  what  is  commonly  termed  "buncombe" — prevalent  to  some  extent  as  a 
humanistic    (?)    extravaganza.      "Speak   now,    or   forever    hold    thy   peace." 

The  writer  is  compiling  an  extensive  book  on  the  subject  of  Lincoln — just  a  little 
different. 


O!   FOR   ANOTHER   LINCOLN! 

We  need  another  Lincoln — a   man  of  brain  and  might — 
To    lead   forsaken    people   from   darkness   into   light: 
A    man    who    loves    humanity — [as    every   being    should]  — 
Who  lives  a  life  of  sacrifice;   of  righteousness  and  good. 

'Tis  true!     A   man   like  Lincoln  we  ne'er  again    may  find — 
A   soul   so  free  from  perfidy;  a  heart  so  good  and   kind. 
To  every  lonely   creature  he  gave  a  helping  hand 
And   sacrificed    all    pleasure   to   help   his   fellowman. 

If  Lincoln  could  but  see  us  as  life's  pathway  here  we  plod; 
Thinking   nought  but  selfishness — no   thought  of   man   or   God: 
His  heart  would  at  such  sights  rebel;  and  for  the  human  race 
Again   would   he   take   up   the   fight  to   save   us   from   disgrace. 

He  suffered;  died  for  human  cause,  to  save  the  world  from  shame- 

[That  we   might  place  our  trust  in  God  and  glorify  God's  name]: 

He  bore  the  pain  of  all  life's  thorns,   without  a  single  frown 

To   build   for    us   a    mansion,   which   we   are   tearing   down. 

***** 

How  sad  it  is  to  know,  withal,  we  still  fall  into  vice; 

To   know  that  we   are   victims,    still,   of  sin   and   avarice: 

Not  thinking  of  the   future;   as  on!   and  on!  we  plod: 

Without   a    single   laurel   we   go  to   meet  our   God. 

***** 

Oh!  for  another   Lincoln — a   man   of  might  and   main; 

A    man   to  fight  our  battles   and   make  us  free   again; 

A    man   who  has  a  policy,   and  dares  to   make   it  known; 

Who   dares   to   be   a   Daniel,   and   dares   to   stand   alone. 


■  ■•■■fllllllllllllMIIIIIII Illlllllllllltlllllllllllllllllllllll 


*Mr.  Boggs  stated  that  the  whole  affair  was  as  clear  to  him  as  if  it  had  happened  but 
a    year    ago. 

([(The  following  is  taken  from  old  records  now  in  my  possession — W.  F.  Penrose:)  "On 
the  9th  of  July,  David  E.  Herrold,  George  A.  Atzeroth — [a  houscpainter  by  trade.  He 
had  served  as  a  blockade  runner  across  the  Potomac], — Louis  Payne  Powell — [attempted  to 
assassinate  the  Seward  family  (Ref.  1)] — and  Mary  E.  Surratt  were  hanged.  Michael 
0"Laughlin,  Dr.  Samuel  A.  Mudd  and  Samuel  Arnold— sentenced  for  life.  Edward  Spang- 
ler — sentenced   to   six   years"    hard   labor  imprisonment." 

"Colonel  Olcott  found  in  the  Surratt  home  and  arrested;  Mrs.  M.  E.  Surratt,  Miss 
Anna  Surratt,  Miss  Honora  Fitzpatrick  and  Miss  Holahan.  ****Prompt  removal  to  the 
Old    Capitol    Prison." 

tT^e^e  has  been  a  great  deal  of  doubt  in  the  Booth  case.  It  is  strange  that  only  two 
men  held  the  secret.  It  has  been  said  that  the  Government  paid  a  large  sum  for  the  appre- 
hension of  Booth,  and  even  at  this  time  there  should  not  be  doubt.  It  may  seem  of  little 
importance,  but  this  is  erroneous.  It  suggests  intrigue,  and  should  not  have  been  misterious. 
Some  years  ago  a  statement  was  made  that  Booth  was  not  killed  but  escaped  and  was  seen 
in   the  West  and  only  two  men  to  deny   it.      Had  the  people  a  right  to  know? 

(1)  A  typographical  reproduction  of  a  letter,  written  by  Dr.  Verdi,  tells  of  his  hasty 
summons  to  the  Seward  home  a  few  minutes  after  ten  P.  M.  on  the  14th  of  April,  1865, 
where  he  administered  to  the  needs  of  Secretary  Seward,  Frederick  Seward,  Augustus  Seward, 
and  a  soldier  in  attendance  on  Mr.  Seward,  after  Payne  Powell's  attempt  to  assassinate  them 
So  closely  is  Dr.  Verdi's  statements  held  to  the  line  that  he  gives  the  words  of  the  colored 
boy  who  was   sent  for  him;   saying  that  the  Seward's  were  'murdered  by  an  assassin.". 

CITATION****  Lieutenant'General  Grant,  after  Lee's  surrender,  went  to  City  Point 
and  thence  to  Washington  City,  arriving  there  on  the  morning  of  the  fatal  14th  day  of  April. 
He  was  accompanied  by  Captain  Robert  T.  Lincoln  (now  Secretary  of  War — [1884]),  who 
was  one  of  his  staff  officers.  The  latter  breakfasted  with  his  father,  the  President,  and 
related  the  occurrences  of  the  surrender,  at  which  he  was  present.  A  Cabinet  meeting  was 
held  that  morning  at  eleven  o'clock,  Lieutenant'General  Grant  being  present.  After  the 
adjournment  he  remained  in  conversation  with  the  President  some  little  time,  and  it  was 
finally  arranged  that  they  should  visit  Ford's  Theatre  together  in  the  evening  to  witness  the 
performance  of  "Our  American  Cousin,"  which  was  having  a  great  run.  The  President  sent 
a  message  to  engage  a  box,  and  the  watchful  conspirators  were  doubtless  promptly  apprised  of 
the  arrangements.  Subsequently,  General  Grant  was  called  to  New  York,  and  thus  probably 
escaped  assassination,  as  he  was  inquired  for  in  the  theatre  about  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening, 
by  a  man  bearing  a  large  package.  The  party  in  the  box,  therefore,  consisted  only  of 
President  and  Mrs.  Lincoln,  Major  H.  R.  Rathbone  and  Miss  Clara  W.  Harris.  The 
President  was  in  exrellent\  spirits.****  For  some  weeks,  at  least,  a  sort  of  haunting  fore- 
boding had   depressed   him,    an    indefinable  sense  of  danger.**** 

AUTHOR'S  NOTE:  This  horrible  episode  in  history  is  not  so  remote  or  vague  as  to 
render  its  associations  intangible.  There  are  people  living  today  who  were  present.  There 
is  a  prominent  gentleman  now  living  in  Illinois  whose  parents  were  associated  with  the 
Lincoln  family.  I  have  communicated  with  this  gentleman  but  I  did  not  ask  permission  to 
use  his  name,  so  I   must  be  conservative  at  this  time. 


PERSONAL. 

I  had  the  pleasure,  recently,  of  meeting  Mr.  Joseph  Benj'amin  Oakleaf,  of  Moline,  111., 
a  Bibliographer;  and,  like  myself,  an  ardent  admirer  of  the  immortal  Lincoln.  Mr.  Oakleaf, 
kind  and  unselfish,  expressed  his  willingness  to  co-operate  with  me  in  the  broadcasting  of 
our  theme,  which,  fortunately,  is  an  asset  to  me,  and  such  a  generous  and  unselfish  nature 
is   an    asset    to   the   world. 

Mr.  Oakleaf  is  the  author  of  a  Lincoln  Bibliography,  a  copy  of  which  is  now  in  the 
Chicago  Public  Library,  and,  in  itself,  is  a  literary  monument,  in  memory  of  the  noble 
Lincoln. 


Dr.  L.  D.  Carman,  of  Washington,  D.  C,  with  whom  I  have  had  the  pleasure  of 
corresponding,  has  published  one  of  his  addresses — a  beautiful  tribute  to  LinrrH  Inasmuch 
as  it  is  specified  for  private  distribution,  and  as  I  have  been  unable  to  reach  Dr.  Carman 
as  this   goes   to  press,   to  receive  his  permission  to  enter  into  details  I   shall  be  conserv.ative. 

The  Lincolnites  are  usually  modest,  unostentatious  men,  therefore,  naturally  conservative; 
and  I  usually  ask  permission  before  entering  into  an  extensive  outline. 

A  private  publication,  prefaced  by  Mr.  Frederick  Ray  Risdon,  of  Los  Angeles,  Cal., 
contains  interesting  items  concerning  the  assassination  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  as  printed  in 
the  newspapers  of  that  date. 


SPECIAL  NOTE:  I  sincerely  hope  that  my  method  of  introducing  references,  clauses, 
explanations  and  notations  may  not  be  looked  upon  as  redundancy,  or  verbosity.  But  I  am 
very  desirous  that  my  articles  do  not  take  on  an  appearance  of  a  spurious  "Stock  in  Trade." 
I  do  not  maintain  an  exchequer  of  apocryphas;  the  world  has  suffered  a  deluge  of  such,  and 
quixotism  has  not  yet  descended  upon  me,  nor  have  I  found  the  proverbial  Utopia;  thus,  the 
details    are    for   self -protection.  THE    AUTHOR. 

HUlllllllllllllllillllKlltlllOIIIIIIIIIIIIII 

Published    by    W.    F.    Penrose.    Chicago.    111.      Price    25    cents. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  Illinois  Urbana-Champaign 


http://www.archive.org/details/immortallincolnmOOpenr 


UNIVERSITY  OF  ILLINOIS-URBANA 

973.7L63B2P38I  C002 

THE  IMMORTAL  LINCOLN  AND  THE  MASTERPIECE 


3  0112  031794966 


